Human nature being what it is, most of us are pretty sure we know what’s best for ourselves don’t we? Think back to when you were a teenager for example. Your parents no doubt tried to steer you the right way so that you would avoid making mistakes. Or perhaps a teacher tried to influence your choice of careers.

If you’re like most teenagers you probably let all of this sage advice go in one ear and out the other, because after all, you knew more than your parents or your teachers. Am I right?

God also wants what’s best for us, and He surrounds us with influences in the hope that we will pay attention, learn, and avoid making bad choices.

The Word of God, for example, is a powerful influence on our behavior. If we will heed its instructions, we can be assured of avoiding the negative consequences so often associated with making “less than intelligent decisions”.

Sometimes however, we deliberately choose to ignore God’s instructions. When we do this, we can be sure that there will be serious consequences to follow. For example, take the story of Israel and their desire to have a king reign over them.

In the book of 1st Samuel, chapter eight, we find the children of Israel telling Samuel that they wanted a king to rule them, just like all the nations round about them had. By this time, Samuel had grown old and had appointed his son’s judges over the people, but the people rejected them because they were only in it for the money and prestige.

Now, this demand for a king did not sit well with Samuel, and so he prayed to God about the situation. Here is the Lord’s response to Samuel’s prayer:

And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them”. 1st Samuel 8:7. NKJV

God told Samuel to give the people what they wanted. In essence, they were going to be permitted to have it their way. Up until now Israel was a theocracy, meaning God Himself was their ruler.

So desirous were they of the nation’s surrounding them and their monarchical systems of government, Israel rejected God in favor of man.

And God said “OK”.

There is, however, more to this story. For certain, they would indeed have it their way by having a king rule over them. But listen to what they were getting for a king.

Samuel told the children of Israel that their new king would take their sons and daughters, their fields and vineyards, even their sheep and donkeys (verses 10-17).

Doesn’t sound like such a good deal after all, does it?

So harshly would their new king deal with them, that Samuel told them the day would come when they would cry out in despair over their new leader.

But the Lord would not hear them in that day (verse 18).

Scary stuff there, when God refuses to listen to their voices any longer. When I really think about it, there aren’t too many things that I can think of that are worse than God turning a deaf ear to me!

How many of us are familiar with the expression “be careful what you wish for, you just might get it”? I’d say Israel could identify with that particular saying.

The moral of this story of course is that we are free to choose who will lead us. We are free to choose this world’s leaders, or we can choose God. We can freely choose to be like everyone else, or we can choose to be identified with God.

Recently, I watched a YouTube video produced by a church in Kentucky that featured a number of people giving their reasons why they had given up on the Church.

Listening to these heartbreaking stories, it quickly became apparent that there is a common theme among all of them. For these people, they believe the church has failed to reach them where they live.

The Church has stopped being the Church.

Tales of judgement and condemnation, outright rejection, and worse have left these people doubting whether there is any validity to Christianity. I mean, just imagine how you would feel if you had invited your family to your baptismal service only to be told by the pastor that “he forgot about it”.

The Church is the Body of Christ here on earth.

Do we truly understand what that means, or do we blindly accept the statement as just another one of those religious sayings?

The Church is made up of Christ’s representatives on earth. If that is the case, how representative of Christ are we when our primary purpose is to hand out judgment? How well are we representing Jesus when our churches are known as places of condemnation instead of love?

Speaking with those outside the Church, we hear that our churches have become places of rejection for all who do not look or act the part. Seriously, how many of our churches actually reflect the community in which they reside?

Much to the angst of many, I as well as a few others have been saying for some time now that the Church is broken. It is broken because those who are supposed to be the leaders of it do not know Him. If they knew Him they would go beyond the four walls of their castles and see how much hurt there is in their community.

And they would do something about it.

They most certainly would be a part of the solution, not the problem.

Because LOVE is the greatest motivator of all.

If they knew Him they would reach out, not with angry words of criticism and judgement, but in compassion and LOVE.

Ah yes…Love.

What if our churches actually believed and practiced LOVE?

‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

What if our churches actually believed and practiced this?

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

What if our churches actually believed and practiced this?

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.’ I Cor.13:1-3

What if…

What if the Church got back to being Christ’s representatives here on earth?

Here’s what I think would happen if the Church did this.

There would be a huge reduction in the problems that currently plague our society. Drug abuse, hunger, crime, divorce, abuse of all types, all would see a dramatic reduction if the Church got back to being the hands and feet of Jesus.

What if the Church somehow rediscovered the courage to LOVE those in our communities who are hopelessly trapped on the outside looking in?

What if….the Church started looking outward instead of inward?

Ron

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.